NEW!Visit Solveig Gustafsson's website. There are many new photographs of re-created Bohus garments, some of them modeled by Kerstin Olsson, a designer for Bohus Stickning from 1959 to 1969.

Bohus yarn kits from Sweden

During the 30 years that the Bohus Stickning organization supplied up-scale department stores with ready-made, hand knitted garments, the patterns and styles remained a closely guarded secret. Copies did show up from time to time but the genuine yarns were never available on the open market.

Then in 1999, Bohusläns Museum put together a Bohus exhibit and brought in some of the women who had been employed as knitters for the Bohus organization some 30 years earlier. As part of that exhibit, the idea of re-creating some of the genuine garments was discussed and the museum contacted Solveig Gustafsson, master dyer, for assistance. Because of her efforts and talents, many of the amazing Bohus Stickning designs are now available from Sweden as kits for handknitters everywhere! The musuem has continued its collaboration with Solveig to bring back additional designs, using yarns that knit up at a true Bohus gauge of 8.5-9 stitches per inch. Some of the older designs are knit in a 100% wool yarn while later designs, including the yoked styles, are worked in a 50% angora/50% wool blend. Because Solveig has had access to original garments and because she is a master dyer, it really is not possible to tell the difference between old garments and those Solveig has re-created.

What designs are available as kits?

In the last several years, many new garments have been re-created and are now available in kit form. Go to Solveig's
website to see photos of all of them. I have been working hard on translating the Swedish instructions into English to make the garments available to a wider audience; because I am donating my time, it sometimes takes longer than I want. However, I am excited to say that at this point there are English translations available for all the re-created garments.

And if you appreciate the fact that the instructions have been translated, please send what you would have been willing to pay for them to Doctors Without Borders and then email Stephanie and let her know the amount so it can be added to her sidebar total. Thank you.

How do I order a kit?

You can order any of the kits directly from Solveig Gustafsson by emailing her. Solveig's English is excellent and she accepts payments via Paypal. You can also contact Bohusläns Museum and order through them.

Bohus Stickning in North America today

Over the course of the thirty years that Bohus Stickning was in business, more garments were sold to Americans than to any other group. As I have been teaching Bohus Stickning workshops across America, I have been very gratified by the enthusiastic response of knitters everywhere. I sincerely believe that the beauty of these garments and the historical legacy they encompass will remain meaningful and vibrant only if we continue to create (and re-create) these designs today.

Upcoming Bohus Stickning workshops

As I schedule Bohus Stickning workshops, they will be posted on my teaching calendar so check back for updates.